Bishop L. Robinson served as police commissioner from 1984 until 1987, during which time he was one of the founding members of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, one of the nation's largest public service organizations.

Robinson died Monday, 10 days short of his 87th birthday.

Police said that when Robinson joined the Police Department in 1952, black officers were not allowed to patrol white neighborhoods or use patrol cars. Robinson ascended the ranks in the Baltimore Police Department as the Civil Rights movement got under way.

"Bishop had to cut through the layer of all that to make sure African-Americans and other minorities were given the opportunity to walk in some of these other communities," said City Council President Jack Young.

"We have lost a true pioneer in the history of the Baltimore Police Department," Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said in a statement. "His legacy is one of service and continues to be a source of inspiration for officers today. I sit here in this position as a result of his strong leadership as a trailblazer. I'm humbled by this giant of a man, a police leader."

Robinson stuck with the force as he earned his bachelor's, master's and law degrees. In 1984, then-Mayor William Donald Schaefer named him police commissioner. Robinson reflected on his own legacy in 2011 after Schaefer died.

"The respect of his employees and the public's trust, that's all you can have. That's it. There's nothing more valuable than those two things," he said.

In 2007, the Annex Headquarters Building located at Fayette and President streets was named after Robinson, who told 11 News in 2011 that he did not take the honor lightly.

"I guess it comes to those who really deserve it, who pay their dues. I know I paid my dues. That I know," he said.

Three years at the helm of the Police Department led to stints in state government, first as secretary of public safety and later as the secretary of the Department of Juvenile Justice.

"There was no controversy about him. You can look at his whole career. I've never heard anybody say anything negative about him," Young said.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake echoed that sentiment, recalling Robinson's effects on her own career aspirations.

"He is someone who I have looked up to as a mentor, as an advisor, as a pioneer and as a statesman. He will be sorely missed," the mayor said.

She released a statement earlier in the day, saying, "I was saddened to learn of former Police Commissioner Bishop Robinson's passing today. Bishop was a great friend, and someone on whom I could rely to impart sage advice, especially to a young public official just starting out. This is a man whose life should be celebrated for tearing down barriers by climbing his way to the top of an organization that historically treated African-Americans with disrespect and derision. But Commissioner Robinson's palpable presence made him a force to be reckoned with. He worked his way up through the Police Department, step by step, becoming the first African-American to command the patrol division, then the first to command the whole force as commissioner. The trail he cut for many that came after him will be one that should never be forgotten."

Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown released a statement, saying, "I'm saddened to hear of the passing of Bishop Lee Robinson. Mr. Robinson exemplified what it means to live a life of service as Baltimore's first African-American police commissioner, a Maryland cabinet secretary, and a teacher at the University of Baltimore. Today we have lost a trailblazer whose determination to make our streets safer was matched only by his passion for public service. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as they grieve his loss and celebrate his life."

AT AN AREA HOSPITAL. IT IS UNKNOWN IF THE SHOOTINGS ARE RELATED AND NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN EITHER CASE. THE BALTIMORE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT IS MORNING THE DEATH OF ITS VERY FIRST AFRICAN- AMERICAN POLICE COMMISSIONER. HE PASSED AWAY TODAY AT THE AGE OF 86. HE DIED 10 DAYS SHORT OF HIS 87 EARTH DAY. HIS LONG LIFE WAS DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SERVICE. THE BISHOP ROBINSON BUILDING SITS IN DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE. THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS AND WAS NAMED FOR THE FIRST AFRICAN- AMERICAN COMMISSIONER WHO TOLD US BACK IN 2011 THAN HE DID NOT TAKE THE HONOR LIGHTLY. IT IS FOR FOLKS WHO REALLY DESERVE IT AND PAID THEIR DUES. ROBINSON JOINED THE BALTIMORE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 1952, AT A TIME WHEN POLICE SAY BLACK OFFICERS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO PATROL WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS HELP TO CUT THROUGH ALL THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT AFRICAN- AMERICANS AND OTHER MINORITIES WERE GIVEN THE ABILITY TO WALK THROUGH ANY COMMUNITIES. HE STUCK WITH THE FORCE AS HE LEARNED HIS DEGREES. IN 1984, THE THEN MAYOR NAMED HIM POLICE COMMISSIONER. ROBINSON REFLECTED ON HIS OWN LEGACY AFTER SCHAEFER DIED. THE RESPECT OF HIS EMPLOYEES. THE PUBLIC TRUST, THAT IS ALL YOU CAN HAVE. THAT IS IT. THERE'S NOTHING MORE VALUABLE THAN THOSE PRINCIPLES. THREE YEARS LED TO A STINT IN STATE GOVERNMENT, LATER IN JUVENILE JUSTICE. YOU CAN LOOK AT HIS WHOLE CAREER. THERE IS NO CONTROVERSY ABOUT HIM. I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYBODY SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE. MAYOR STEPHANIE RAWLINGS- BLAKE ECHOED THAT SENTIMENT, CALLING HIS IMPACT ON HER OWN CAREER ASPIRATIONS. HE IS SOMEONE I HAVE LOOKED UP TO AS A MENTOR AND ADVISOR, AS A PIONEER, AND HE WILL SORELY BE MISSED. HE WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL -- ONE OF THE NATION'S LARGEST PUBLIC SERVICE